Here are the first five steps in getting Your Next Dream Job after you

retire from federal service.

1.  Go to the href="http://www.myfederalretirement.com/public/261.cfm">retirement job search

list in this article and look for jobs in your geographic area with the

salary that you would consider to be good.   At this point, you are

really just searching for samples of jobs, duties, and skills required --- not

to really apply for a job right now.
 

2. 

Read the recruitment ads to see what is available and who is hiring who. This is

basic research about the job world outside of government.

 
3.  Read the recruitment ads to see what

skills they are seeking.  Make a list of these Target Job

Skills.
 
4.  Think about Your Basic Skills

that you have (forget the government-specific

knowledge).   Consider your favorite skills from your government

work.  What did you like best?  Customer service, research, analysis,

project coordination, problem-solving, supervision, teamwork, computers,

writing, editing, Excel spreadsheets?   Make a list of those

skills.   You can get ideas for those skills by reading the job

ads. 
 
Since government work is quite different than private

sector work, you will have to think about your experience in terms of basic

skills
 
5.  Make a two column list of Target

Job Skills and My Basic Skills so that you can begin to match up your skills

against those that private industry employers are seeking.  You will be

amazed at how well your skills will match new

positions. 
 
Don't worry if the next job isn't a perfect

match.  

6.  Think about how hard you want to work -- 40 hours

per week? 30 hours? Or 20 hours? You don't have to decide this

now.   Just think about it.

Whatever job you consider, you don't have to think about committing to this

one for a lifetime -- maybe just 1-2 years for the experience.

Be sure to look for the upcoming

lessons in this series:

Lesson 2 - Find a Mission You Like
Lesson 3 - Get Creative -- interesting

jobs for retirees that are not typical
Lesson 4 - Your Next Resume -- your

life in 2 pages!
Lesson 5 - Your resume online in the builders
Lesson 5 -

Cover letters with passion and a story
Lesson 6 - Entrepreneurship for

retirees
Lesson 7 - Consulting -- you are an expert!
Lesson 8 - 

Government work -- contracting federal resumes (shorter versions)
Lesson 9 -

Interviewing -- dos and donts, depending on where you are
Lesson 10 - The

speaker's trail -- share your knowledge and your story

About the Author

Kathryn K. Troutman, founder and president of the href="http://www.resume-place.com/" target=_blank>color=#0b2860>The Resume Place, Inc., is an

internationally recognized book publisher and trainer for both federal human

resource specialists and federal employees. She is the pioneering designer of

the "Federal Resume" based on her flagship book, the Federal Resume

Guidebook.